Achillea plant named &#39;ACBZ0003&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Achillea  plant named ‘ACBZ0003’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and uniform plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; early and freely flowering habit with plants remaining in flower for a long period time; inflorescences with greyed purple-colored ray florets that resist “bleaching” with development; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Achillea millefolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ACBZ0003’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Achillea Plant Named ‘ACBZ0004’

Applicant: Henricus Godefridus Wilhelmus Stemkens

Filed: Concurrently with this application

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Achillea plant, botanically known as Achillea millefolium, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘ACBZ0003’.

The new Achillea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and early-flowering Achillea plants with uniform plant habit and large inflorescences.

The new Achillea plant originated from an open-pollination in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands in August, 2009 of a proprietary selection of Achillea millefolium identified as code number L4332-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Achillea millefolium as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Achillea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands on Jul. 5, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Achillea plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands since Jul. 6, 2010, has shown that the unique features of this new Achillea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Achillea have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘ACBZ0003’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘ACBZ0003’ as a new and distinct Achillea plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit with plants remaining in         flower for a long period time.     -   5. Inflorescences with greyed purple-colored ray florets that         resist “bleaching” with development.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Achillea differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Achillea are taller than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Achillea flower for a longer period of time         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Achillea and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have lighter-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Achillea can be compared to plants of Achillea millefolium ‘ACBZ0004’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Achillea differ primarily from plants of ‘ACBZ0004’ in ray floret color as plants of ‘ACBZ0004’ have dark red purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Achillea can also be compared to plants of Achillea tomentosa×Achillea millefolium ‘Desred’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,333. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Achillea differ from plants of ‘Desred’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Achillea are not as freely basal branching         as plants of ‘Desred’.     -   2. Plants of the new Achillea and ‘Desred’ differ in ray floret         color as plants of ‘Desred’ have red-colored ray florets.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Achillea resist “bleaching”         whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Desred’ “bleach” in color to         yellow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Achillea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Achillea plant. The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘ACBZ0003’ grown in a container. The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘ACBZ0003’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the early summer in 20-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Lancaster, Pa. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Achillea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23.8° C. and night temperatures averaged 18.3° C. Plants were 20 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Achillea millefolium ‘ACBZ0003’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Achillea             millefolium identified as code number L4332-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Achillea             millefolium, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About nine days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 21 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically creamy white in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching habit; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and uniform plant             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal             branching habit with about 36 basal branches developing per             plant.         -   Plant height.—About 27 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 39 cm.         -   Basal branches.—Length: About 26 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Internode length: About 1.4 cm to 4 cm. Aspect: Mostly             upright. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Lanulose;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 147C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 10.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm.         -   Shape.—Overall, oblong; feathery and fern-like.         -   Apex.—Acute, three-pointed.         -   Base.—Clasping.         -   Margin.—Deeply and finely dissected, pinnatisect.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 147C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to N137C; venation, close to 147C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Arrangement and habit.—Rotate composite inflorescence form;             inflorescences arranged in terminal or axillary compound             corymbs; corymbs are flat-topped to slightly rounded; freely             flowering habit with about 130 inflorescences per terminal             corymb; corymbs positioned above the foliar plane and face             mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—Moderate, sour.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering during the late             spring and early summer in Pennsylvania and continue to             flower throughout the summer.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about seven to             ten days; inflorescences persistent; ray florets maintain             color and resist “bleaching”.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 49B to 49C.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9 mm.         -   Disc diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Receptacle diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Receptacle height.—About 5 mm.         -   Receptacle shape.—Rounded conical.         -   Receptacle color.—Close to 148A to 148B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About five in a             single whorl. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Roughly oval. Apex: Rounded to slightly emarginate. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Aspect: Mostly             horizontal. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 49B             to 49C. When opening, lower surface: Close to N155D. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 187D; with development,             color becoming closer to 185C to 185D. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 76D; with development, color becoming             closer to N155C.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 22 massed at             the center of the receptacle. Length: About 6 mm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Shape: Tubular; apex, five-pointed. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature: Apex: Close to 36A.             Mid-section: Close to 145C. Base: Close to 145D. Color,             mature: Apex: Close to 36D. Mid-section: Close to 145B.             Base: Close to 145D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 20 arrange in             about two whorls; imbricate and tightly appressed to the ray             florets. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower             surface: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 148D.             Color, lower surface: Close to 148C to 148D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.             Texture: Lanulose. Color: Close to 147C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on disc florets             only): Quantity: About five. Filament length: About 1 mm.             Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther             length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 17B. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 17A. Gynoecium             (present on disc and ray florets): Quantity: One. Pistil             length: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:             Close to 145D. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close             to 145D. Ovary color: Close to 145D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Achillea. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Achillea have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Achillea     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Achillea have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and to tolerate     temperatures ranging from about −15° C. to about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Achillea plant named ‘ACBZ0003’ as illustrated and described. 